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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier. Saturday 26 August 1950
Page 3 Column 3
Co-op. Clerk for Trial
Alleged Embezzlement of Club Funds
Mutuality Payments
Allegations that he embezzled £310, received in small sums from Co-operative Mutuality Club members, were made at Taunton, on Wednesday, when Albert Havelock George ULRICO (38), clerk, of 29, Bagborough-road, Taunton, was accused of a series of offences.
There were nine charges of embezzlement and eight under the Falsification of Accounts Act, alleging that he made false entries or omitted material parts of documents, with intent to defraud.
He was represented by Mr. C. B. PARDOE.
Prosecuting Mr. F. W. WILLMOTT said ULRICO was a collector for the West Somerset Co-operative Society's Mutuality Club which gave members extended credit facilities.
In April it was found that some of the check slips were not being returned to the office. At first it was thought that this was an accidental omission, but then it was found to have been done so consistently that it was at once clear that both check slips and payments made by members of the Club had been deliberately withheld by accused. Members' books were checked and it was found that the books did not agree with the Society's records.
SLIPS NOT HANDED IN.
The Managing Secretary, Mr. W. M. WOODBURY, asked ULRICO for a list of all missing check slips and this showed that 652 slips, representing £252 16s 6d had not been handed in. A further list showed another 91 outstanding checks, representing £57 13s.
Mr. WILLMOTT said the present charges were based on only a selection of the alleged offences; had they all been bought there would have been more than 600 cases before the Court.
ULRICO had given every help to the police and had enabled the members' balances to be put in order.
Mr. WOODBURY gave evidence and, in reply to Mr. PARDOE, he said ULRICO had been employed by the Society for 13 years. All the missing money had since been tendered to the Society on behalf of the accused.
He added that ULRICO had been chairman of the Employees Recreation Association, a member of the Society's Education Committee and a trade union branch secretary.
LOST HIS WALLET.
Evidence was given by Leonard George CRADDOCK, a clerk with the Society and by a number of members of the Mutuality Club – Mrs. Rose HAWKINS, 7, Tone Cottages, Duke-street; Mrs. Elsie DOMINEY, 75, Winchester-street; Mrs. Beatrice WALL, 7, Laburnam-street; Mrs. Evelyn REX, St. James'-street; Mrs. Sarah CLARKE, Wilton Hill; Mrs. Gladys HORT, 51, Eastleigh-road; Mrs. Margaret IRWIN, 37, Mountfields-road and Bertram HARRINGTON, 44, Wedlands.
Det.-Con. LABBETT repeated an alleged statement by accused in which he said, “I am quite prepared to admit the offence and I have told the Society that I accept responsibility. This trouble started about five months ago when I lost my wallet, containing about £60, collected on behalf of the Society. I did not report the loss to the Society or to the police because I believe I lost it at a public house I visited during working house.”
He added that he had hoped to make good the lost money by with-holding checks, so that he was always in arrears. Sometimes he lent money to customers, some of which was never repaid, and he got into still worse difficulties.
RAISED TOTAL SUM.
He said he had raised the total sum outstanding from friends, but the Management Committee would not accept it, saying the matter was in the hands of the police. Mr. WOODBURY had told him that if the money was repaid, the matter would be closed.
Accused, who pleased not guilty and reserved his defence, was committed for trial at Somerset Quarter Sessions. Bail was granted.
<NOTES: Mrs Rose HAWKINS is Rose PRING daughter of Thomas Edward PRING and Sarah Ann ADAMS, married Charles James HAWKINS>